CLONING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE HUMAN INVASION SUPPRESSOR GENE E-CADHERIN (CDH1)

E-cadherin is a Ca2+-dependent epithelial cell-cell adhesion molecule. Downregulation of E-cadherin expression often correlates with strong invasive potential and poor prognosis of human carcinomas. By using re combinant lambda phage, cosmid, and P1 phage clones, we isolated the f ull-length human E-cadherin gene (CDH1). The gene spans a region of ap proximately 100 kb, and its location on chromosome 16q22.1 was confirm ed by FISH analysis. Detailed restriction mapping and partial sequence analysis of the gene allowed us to identify 16 exons and a 65-kb long intron 2. The intron-exon boundaries are highly conserved in comparis on with other ''classical cadherins.'' In intron 1 we identified a 5' high density CpG island that may be implicated in transcription regula tion during embryogenesis and malignancy. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc .